women's fiction--what is it to you?

[Carole Gill]

Women's fiction might not have romance as a core plot element, but it has some romance in it as I understand it.
But here's the thing--a lot of women's fiction is contemporary. I prefer the past!
I prefer to empower women in the past when purely by strength of character they are able to survive (i.e. Scarlett O'Hara)!
I feel I lean towards writing women's fiction--but historical.
At the moment I'm reading Philippa Gregory's A RESPECTABLE TRADE--marvelous book about the slave trade and the English merchants who were involved. ( There is a heroine in this book and that's what makes it so appealing to me).
Having just read Toni Morrison's Beloved--I was more than ready to read something about the slave trade from this end.
Both fantastic books btw.
Here's the question: I'm looking for suggestions of books/authors, too. Historical, but geared for women like myself. And would also like to discuss what women's fiction means to you.
Anybody?

[Anne Whitfield]

This is a lot of what I read.

My favourite author is Audrey Howard. She writes historical family epics, which I adore.

I read a lot fo UK women authors. I've made a list of some of them on my website. These authors write regional sagas, set in England in a varied time frame, but all deal with women's issues and family.
http://www.annewhitfield.com/sagaauthors.html

My own historical books tend to be along this line, too.

[Carole Gill]

didn't I reply to this? God, I don't think I was following it, thought I was! sorry
yes, Anne I would say you write women's fiction and good well-written it is too.
Audrey Howard is terrific, haven't read her in a while, but will!
Family sagas are tremendously interesting--I'll never forget reading Penmaric (sp)--years and years ago. I loved it. Susan Howatch wrote it I believe.

[Rosemary]

I think "women's fiction" is writing about the things that are important to women. We can all tell a guy mag a mile off, can't we? It's the same for women. Generally, we women like stories where characters are well developed and insightful. The topics we gravitate towards are families, relationships and friendships. "How women coped" stories are always good. Personally, I don't go for shopping stories: it's the character within that matters not what she's draped over herself. I don't go for adventure or for shooting people. I don't like reading graphic sex scenes, but I love a bit of romance.

I like reading about female mcs and strong women in the Scarlet O Hara sense. I'm writing (trying to write) a book about a strong woman at the moment. She's a very easy character to write - even though she's as different from me as possible - but my previous novel was about a more demure girl who was buffeted about by fortune and misfortune yet somehow survived. She was a much harder character to write.

Is that what you meant, Carole?

Rosemary

[Carole Gill]

yes, that is what I meant.
now women have far more control over their lives (although not always--depends) but as a rule were I to generalize I'd say we do have much more control over ourselves than say my Grandmother did.
it's funny but as a rule I don't enjoy contemporary stories/novels--I prefer to read how women coped when they didn't have as much freedom--they got stuck with husbands sometimes they didn't love, etc, they were manipulated into marriages for example (sometimes it turned out alright, but sometimes it didn't). I mean you can read the case of Madeleine Smith the Scottish poisoner and see why she was driven to murder her lover (she was wrong, she should have been found guilty), but she probably felt driven to homicial desperation to get rid of this inconvenient suitor!
the other side of desperation, those who found themselves with children and widowed very often or in a similar situation with no family support or back up--my God! How on earth did they survive, if they survived?
this is the type of thing that interests me. Anne wrote an excellent book I read recently that had a young brother and sister in it that illustrated this sort of thing. THE GENTLE WIND CARESSES--very good book--discussing life as it existed for many.
btw I'd be interested, Rosemary, to know why that character you mentioned was more difficult to write if you'd care to discuss it.

[Rosemary]

Why the demure character was harder to write than the strong one? I'll try to explain.

Marya, the strong character, does things, often the wrong thing - she shoots her mouth off at a Cambridge College selection panel, for instance, in the first chapter. Hilary, the demure one, was loving, trusting and discreet. Things tended to happen to her and it was difficult to show her character because it was understated.

Rosemary

[Carole Gill]

well, i have a tip. Several centuries ago (grin), I went to acting school and was taught "the method"
you get into the character's skin with that--really deeply in.
You try to BE Hilary. and ask yourself why you're like that. naturally you have a character sketch, but if you BECOME Hilary it might be easier to write it that way. for instance, Hilary annoyed at Marya for shooting her mouth off--or Hilary upset about various things but afraid to show it--
sure her character can be understated but perhaps giving her a secret cauldron just beneath the surface might have been an idea. i don't mean that she would suddenly take hostages on campus and freak out--an emotional cauldron of some kind.
for instance, I remember working many years ago (I've been all over the place)! in a hotel actually with a woman who was very demure and quiet--and it came out (she told us) that her son had murdered his father and carved his initials in his chest! he was in prison, and she was quiet like that because she was so traumatized--even a number of years later.
anyway, you sound as though you write quality stuff--just keep at it, Rosemary.
and only write people you can FEEL, otherwise it might be too difficult.
I sometimes try out different things and if it isn't right for me, I feel as though I'm typing (or trying to) with boxing gloves on!

[J. R. LaGreca]

Dear Carole,

Women’s fiction to me must contain elements of emotion and the intricacies of life. It should have mystery and awe weaved in the plot, on a journey to a timeless treasure zone, where you find a new world to sweep you away. It also must have glimpse into the feminine heart with secrets to share. I agree historical fiction contains much more of these innuendos than most modern fiction. You would think as time goes on people would become more refined and well-spoken when it appears just the opposite! I am currently reading EVERGREEN by Belva Plain. I would definitely recommend this book if you haven’t read it. As author I seldom find books I truly love since my standards are so high, but this one is amazing, a true classic.

Best,

J. R. LaGreca

[Carole Gill]

thank you, J.R.
VERY helpful reply!
I'm going to save that!!!

[Bonnie Toews]

Do today's women really have more control over their lives? They are busier. They have more choices. But control?? Most of the women I talk to feel as if they have lost control of their lives and wonder where it all went off track. They are still chattels of a sort--to husband's careers, to their own careers, to children's schedules. Every minute we give to ourselves we have to steal out of a day crammed with obligations to myriad other things. Today's woman is looking to find the heroine within herself because she can't see her any more. If we read, when do we find time to write? If we write, when do we find time to read? Yet reading is the only escape that takes us away from the daily pressures and let's us imagine a life with substance and empathy and actualized dreams. To endure we must be successful multi-taskers. Yesterday's heroine could focus on one thing at a time. Maybe this is what attracts us to her. What do you think?